Firmware update problem affecting use of 20mm lens?

[giuseppe]

I have owned an E-PL1 (with the kit zoom) for about a month, and about a week ago I bought a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 pancake lens for it. Everything worked beautifully. But on Thursday, I downloaded (successfully) the firmware update to the E-PL1 and now ALL photos with the 20mm pancake lens vignette in all four corners, regardless of camera settings! Its as if the camera is set permanently to the "pinhole" setting. This does not appear to be a problem with the kit zoom. Before I (sadly) return the Panasonic 20, does anyone have any thoughts on why this happened, or have you had a similar experience?
Thanks, Giuseppe

 

[Streetshooter]

I will look at my image from the Pen 1 & 2.
Maybe BB could chime in...
That's her setup exactly.
Shooter

 

[BBW]

Trying it out right now.

 

[BBW]

No, I do not see any vignetting. Of course now I am staring at everything. Here are two photos of the same thing taken for test purposes only so no C & C, thank you very much.

One is taken with the 20mm and the other with the 14-42 zoom.

 

[BBW]

Here is another taken outside, just with the 20mm:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/4547815965/" title="P4240905 test photo by Otra2004, on Flickr"> View attachment 143801 "1024" height="768" alt="P4240905 test photo" /></a>

 

[Streetshooter]

Thanks Sis,
Now we need to determine his shooting/processing method.

Jpeg vrs raw... What pp software?

 

[BBW]

Just FYI, these are jpeg and no pping but uploaded into Aperture 3, as it was strictly a test. Let me know if you need anymore details from me.

 

[giuseppe]

BBW,

I've done some testing (with the Panasonic 20 pancake on the E-PL1) and discovered that the vignetting is very pronounced at f1.7 and hardly noticeable at f5.6 or higher. If you get a chance, you might give it a try by shooting a blank evenly lit subject - like a white wall - and see if you get the same results. On my camera it is most dramatic on the Art-Grainy Film setting, since that setting emphasizes contrast, but the difference is clearly visible on Aperture Priority or Program mode, etc.

I'm curious to know if this is a problem unique to me or if all 20's on PL1's do the same. And at this point I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the firmware update or not. I'd download my photo samples but I've not figured out yet how to do that.

Thanks for giving this your time....

 

[Streetshooter]

The art grainy filter has a vignette in the filter itself.
Do you see this on Raw or in a straight jpg?

 

[giuseppe]

My shooting has been all straight jpeg so far.

 

[giuseppe]

Streetshooter,

I've done a lot of shooting using the grainy film art filter through the Olympus 14-42 zoom kit lens and there was NO vignetting. I've only seen vignetting with the pinhole art filter (until I used the 20 pancake).

 

[BBW]

Here is that same scene with the rabbit painting which has good light I have to add, and I took it at ISO 200 f/1.7 -0.3 ev at 1/640 of a second. It does appear that there might be a bit at that f stop.

I have to tell you that I really never use that f stop, as far as my memory tells me and my quick look at some photos. I don't think I have any pre-updated firmware shots at that f stop but I do have some at f/2.8 and here is one - the one with the dogs and my husband lying on his back.

Maybe Brian Mosely can join in the fun here because he has the E-PL1 and the 20mm, too.

What I see doesn't bother me and interestingly I did not see it at all with the rabbit shot while viewing it through the EVF in replay.

P.S. These were taken using Aperture Priority.

 

[Streetshooter]

Giuseppe,
I made this thread a sticky and rated it 5 star to draw attention from other members. This is an issue worth bringing up and maybe we can get some more feedback...
Hang in there, I know it ain't easy and it ain't pretty but be strong...help is on the way...
Shooter

 

[BBW]

OK, here are three shots of the same, soon to be painted, side of our house.
ISO 200 f/1.7 @ 1/1250
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/4548621759/" title="P4240919 20mm f/1.7 by Otra2004, on Flickr">

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

"1024" height="768" alt="P4240919 20mm f/1.7" /></a>

ISO 200 f/2.8 @ 1/500
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/4548621837/" title="P4240920 20mm f/2.8 by Otra2004, on Flickr"> View attachment 143815 "1024" height="768" alt="P4240920 20mm f/2.8" /></a>

and ISO 200 f/5.6 @ 1/125
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/4549256506/" title="P4240921 20mm f/5.6 by Otra2004, on Flickr"> View attachment 143816 "1024" height="768" alt="P4240921 20mm f/5.6" /></a>

 

[BBW]

I have just been told that vignetting with the 20mm at f/1.7 is a known attribute, so apparently this has nothing to do with the firmware update. I expect Brian Mosely will comment tomorrow, as to the veracity of this. He also tells me there's a vignetting control for jpegs in the little "spanner" or as we colonials call it "wrench" menu. I would, of course, never have known this.

It really doesn't show up with my regular photos such as this one also ISO 200 f/1.7 @ 1/640

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/otra/4549288666/" title="P4240918 lilac test 20mm 1.7 by Otra2004, on Flickr">

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

"1024" height="768" alt="P4240918 lilac test 20mm 1.7" /></a>

 

[giuseppe]

Some more web research turns up a thread on 20mm pancake vignetting at dpreview:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.aspforum=1041&message=34520374

and dpreview's own test of the lens shows that it vignettes (they call it falloff)
as much as 1.7 stops (THAT'S A LOT!) in the corners at maximum aperture (f1.7 coincidentally):

Panasonic Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH Lens Review: 3. Test results: Digital Photography Review

So, since the Oly 17mm only opens to f2.8, I may just have to live with the vignetting...???... The thing is, unlike most photographers, I do most of my shooting indoors and often in very dim light. That's one reason I bought the 20mm pancake.

 

[giuseppe]

Sorry about the bad link (the first one). I think the second works fine....

 

[noodlehaus]

Hi Giuseppe,

I've been using the 20mm f1.7 a lot with light backgrounds and yes, at wide open, vignetting is very noticeable especially if you adjust the shadows in your raw. This is my observation for both BEFORE and AFTER the firmware update It's also what I like about the lens

I hope this helps put you at ease

 

[Boyzo]

I have owned an E-PL1 (with the kit zoom) for about a month, and about a week ago I bought a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 pancake lens for it. Everything worked beautifully. But on Thursday, I downloaded (successfully) the firmware update to the E-PL1 and now ALL photos with the 20mm pancake lens vignette in all four corners, regardless of camera settings! Its as if the camera is set permanently to the "pinhole" setting. This does not appear to be a problem with the kit zoom. Before I (sadly) return the Panasonic 20, does anyone have any thoughts on why this happened, or have you had a similar experience?
Thanks, Giuseppe

This problem may be less on a GF1 with camera compensation

For Oly...

Shading compensation is suppose to help

Link here E-PL1
Olympus E-PL1 Review | Digital Camera Resource Page

<>
# Quality/Color/WB

* Noise reduction (Off, on, auto) - for long exposures
* Noise filter (Off, low, standard, high) - for everything else
* White balance (Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent x 3, flash, one-touch, color temperature) - see below
* All white balance compensation
o All set (-7 to +7) - in either the amber/blue or green/magenta directions
o All reset
* Color space (sRGB, AdobeRGB)
* Shading compensation (on/off) - supposed to help reduce vignetting
* Image quality set (Large/Medium/Small, Superfine/fine/normal/basic) - select the size and quality of the four JPEG image quality slots
* Pixel count - select the resolution for these two sizes
o Middle (3200 x 2400, 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200)
o Small (1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480)
<>

 

[Brian Mosley]

Sorry to be brief, just dashing for the door... but yes, it's a known attribute of the 20mm f1.7, and there's an option for Olympus jpegs (and raw through Olympus Master/Studio) under :

Cog Menu G->SHADING COMP.->ON

To give shading compensation.

Cheers

Brian